Chapter 14
A Ressurrection of an Ancient Evil
On the other side of the door, away from the mayhem of the cult's world, two interlopers were preparing to take action. These two interlopers had managed to trace a path to this house and were now ready to expose the horrors that hid themselves away from the eyes of normality. But now, as they were seconds away from entering the house, they were suddenly confronted with a huge noise. A noise that screamed it's way to reverberate the house completely. A noise that screamed it's way from the depths of the house, and through any holes that connected the inside of the house to the outside world. A noise that screamed it's way through the chimney as well as any open doors and windows.
A noise that was enough to create doubts for the two friends.
"What the hell was that?" Gourry asked, in astonishment.
"I don't know...." Zel replied, his eyes widened.
"You... you don't suppose......" Gourry asked, his voice suddenly tinged with fear.
"What?"
"You...don't suppose that's the type of noise a mazoku would make?" Gourry said. "A mazoku of the very angry kind....?"
Zel paused, blinking at Gourry's suggestion. This was a disturbing theory. What would a mazoku be doing in here in a village such as Dakeyras? How would it get here? And what part did Amelia play in all of this?
But such questions only added to Zel's curiosity as to find out what is taking place within the walls of this house!
"What on earth is going on in there?" He said eventually.
"I don't know" Gourry replied. "But I'm not really keen to find out what!"
And with that, Gourry suddenly turned around and began running away from the house!
But he didn't get far: Zel acted quickly and grabbed the swordsman by his tunic. This naturally brought Gourry's flight to an end just as soon as it began.
"Gourry!" Zel exclaimed - still able to establish order and control - even in a crisis situation such as this. "This is no time for games! Something is going on that house and I want to know what!"
"Then you do it yourself!" Gourry retorted. "There's no way you're getting me in there!"
Zel sighed. This was great. Just great. If there was something sinister taking place within those walls, and if it also involved Amelia, then he would certainly need Gourry's help. Besides, if the chimera succeeding in dragging the swordsman away from his meal, then now is not the time to turn around and give up!
But Gourry wasn't making this easier with his uncooperative behaviour.
Oh well. Looks like he would have to do this the hard way.....
Suddenly, without warning, Zelgadis summoned all of his strength and hurled the swordsman right into the doorway! The startled blond came crashing through the wooden beams that made up the door. But now that the door had fallen, the world that hid behind it was now exposed for all the world to see.
But Gourry had not time to see any of this! He continued sailing through the air - before slamming right into a solid wall that stood some feet away from the doorway! The swordsman, now with no chance of escaping this disastrous collision course, hit the wall with a tremendous thud.
Head first.
And then, nothing happened. Gourry paused, allowing his head to absorb the effects of such a horrendous collision. Then, his body slowly collapsed onto the floor.....
Dazed and now nursing the mother of all headaches, Gourry managed to look up.
And he saw the chimera standing over him bearing a concerned expression.
"Are you all right?" Zel inquired.
"Oh man" Gourry moaned. "Oh my head!"
"Look on the bright side." Zel said. "I got you in here."
Gourry blinked, thinking this out. It didn't take him long to reach realisation that Zelgadis was right.
Gourry's brain then went into top gear. Although it was too small to completely comprehend the situation, it could identify that now was the time for action. And in that instant, Gourry forgot all about his daze. And in that instant Gourry forgot all about his headache from flying through a door and into a wall. And in that instant Gourry also forgot his concern about whether or not there actually was a mazoku in the house.
What mattered was the present time was a time that demanded action. And that was something he did best.
Gourry got to his feet and drew his sword with dramatic flourish. Zel did likewise. The two friends gripped their blades, ready to deal with the horrors that resided in this house. The two adventurers were both standing in a room lit by many candles. Many candles that revealed to the two men that they were both being confronted by a large group of people. A large group of people with their features concealed by magenta robes and grotesque masks. A large group of people who stood at the foot of a staircase. A staircase that possessed, at it's top, a large blue sphere that was held in place by a plinth made from the blackest of iron. Yet this blue sphere was far from stable: It was shaking with tremendous power. It had lightning bolts of pure energy cruise across it's surface. It had a colouring made up of the most ferocious of blue.
Zelgadis' expression hardened, at the sight of the sphere. Even Gourry, as dim-witted as he was, blinked. Both could see that the sphere was mere moments from exploding: Yes from the look of it, the sphere was holding tremendous power. Power that it had no hope of containing.
It was left to the imagine as to what the hell these cultists had done.....
Just then, the cult leader stepped from the group and approached the two intruders, his hood lowered and revealing a grinning skull. A pair of shrivelled hands merged from the depths of the robe. With such features, the cult leaders true form didn't take much thinking to deduce: This man was a liche. A practitioner in the art of necromancy yet powerful enough to defy the laws of death and return to the world of the living. But neither did Zel and Gourry lower their guard. They weren't perturbed by the sinister visage that advanced before them. Hell, who cares about the appearance of this nutter? What matters is that he's just another evil scumbag! And they are all follow the similar motivation anyway!
Whether they be living or dead!
"Welcome!" said the cult leader, in a tone of voice that was drier then a desert. "So good of you to drop in!"
But Zel wasn't having any time for pleasantries such as this! Instead he grabbed the cult leader by the front of his robe. The cultist gasped, shocked at the rough treatment of their leader. But they didn't move: For Gourry moved towards them, keeping them in check with his sword and a steely gaze, daring any of the cultists to step forward.
"What's going on here?" Zel demanded. "Where's Amelia?"
"The Great Lord is mere moments from arriving" the cult leader replied. "It is through the work of myself, Adolphus and my loyal followers!"
"What do you mean?"
"Tonight." The cult leader named Adolphus explained. "Is the night that the great Damenamecus will return to walk among us! The pact of twelve cadavers has been sealed so our great lord shall return and grant us power with his extensive knowledge!"
Zel blinked as his brain received these revelations. All the pieces of the puzzle now fell into place. The danger of the murderer that was threatening Dakeyras had now come to light.
"So you were all the one's who murdered those people!" the chimera snarled.
"Exactly" Adolphus grinned in triumph. "This tiny village was the perfect cover! No one would ever suspect a cult of operating in such a insignificant part of the world! And had we been operating in a larger city, we would've surely brought forth the attention of high authority and mercenaries!"
Zel growled. He wasn't liking the sounds of this at all. His eye travelled to the blue sphere. Now it was shaking more and more violently. It seems the power it was containing was mere moments from breaking loose.
Zelgadis blinked. Is this blue sphere the place where this Damenamecus will emerge....?
Damenamecus.... Odd. Hasn't he heard that name somewhere before.....?
Hold on. Where's Amelia?
Adolphus caught Zelgadis expression and guessed exactly what the chimera was thinking.
"If you're looking for your friend" the liche grinned. "She's in the sphere."
"WHAT?!?!" Zel bellowed.
"Oh did I forget to mention that?" Adolphus grinned in triumph. "In order to cremate the pact, we needed a host body and......."
"BASTARD!!!!!" Zel roared. And with one giant stroke of his sword, Zel decapitated the liche with great ease. Adolphus' skull, now free from the rest of it's body, sailed through the air before coming down some feet away. And with no source of magic left to support it, the body crumbled to dust. Within seconds only a magenta robe was all that remained of the great liche Adolphus.
The cultist all gasped at the loss of their leader. Suddenly their eyes all turned angry. They all began glaring at the two intruders. Glaring with eyes filled with accusation and hatred.
"Uh Zel...." Gourry said. "They're looking kind of ugly!"
"Well Gourry" Zel replied. "In that case, I guess we fight...."
The two adventurers gripped their weapons, whilst the cultists reached into their robes and pulled out various daggers, sword a clubs. The scene was set for a mighty clash.
And it would've been a mighty clash indeed
Had it not been for the huge explosion.
A huge explosion that claimed the giant blue sphere.
The power that the blue sphere was containing had finally broken free from it's restraints. This power had reduced the sphere to shards of glass. This power was now thundering down the stone staircase, enlightening every portion of the house with it's touch.
It didn't take long for Zel and Gourry to come to realisation of the threat this rampant power posed. They backed away, back towards the front door of the house. Fortunately for them, the cultists didn't provide much more of a threat to the intruders. Instead, the cultists were now all focusing on the attention on the blue power that was sweeping before them!
"The great Lord Damenamecus now comes!" one cultist shouted.
And upon hearing this, the cultists all began cheering as they raised their arms, ready to receive the great knowledge that was promised to them.....
The cultists were engulfed by the great power.....
....And seconds later, the house exploded.
Meanwhile, away from the scenes of chaos that made themselves in that house, a certain red-haded sorceress was making her way through the silent tavern.
Lina Inverse yawned as she shuffled into the dining room of the tavern. Her eyes looking for Gourry. Funny, he should be here. She was certain that he was down here finishing off some leftovers....
And she was fairly certain that she didn't hear him come upstairs.
And she was equally certain that she heard other footsteps in the hallway. Footsteps that wouldn't have possible belonged to a some of Gourry's tall stature.
Curiosity prolonged the sorceress to forget her sleep and investigate.
Well here she was in the dining room, yet Gourry was nowhere to be seen. What's even more disturbing was that he left the remains of his meal behind!
This wasn't like Gourry. Knowing the swordsman he wouldn't go off and leave a meal unfinished like this! Something must be wrong for this to happen. Something very wrong.
But Lina didn't head off right away. No, she can't face hideous dangers and risk her life when there's still food left uneaten!
So instead of running off after the swordsman, Lina sat down and began finishing off the rest of Gourry's leftovers!
Suddenly the front door of the tavern was flung open and someone rushed in.
Lina looked up at this newcomer....
And in that instant she forgot all about her meal. This newcomer was someone wearing a huge cloak. Someone who carried a sense of emergency. Someone with distinctive facial features. Someone whom Lina knew very well.
"Sylphiel!" Lina cried.
The shrine maiden turned around at the call of her name. When she saw that this person was Lina, she smiled with relief. At long last, she's finally found Lina! At long last her long search is at an end!
"Lina!" Syl cried. "Lina Inverse!"
And with that, Syl came running over to Lina's table.
"Hey there!" Lina grinned. "How are you? What are you doing here?"
"I've been looking for you!" Syl replied.
Upon hearing this, Lina's grin fell. She wasn't liking Sylphiel's choice of words. Does this mean that the authorities have finally caught up to them.....?
Syl caught Lina's expression.
"I've been sent by the orders of Crown Prince Philionel. He knows very well that his daughter is under the control of a possession spell. Therefore, he sent me to make sure the spell is broken and Amelia is returned to normal."
Lina blinked. Well, at least she knows now that Syl isn't in cohorts with any bounty hunters!
"Wow Syl" Lina said. "You went looking for us even after that fracas at Martina's party?"
Syl sighed, thinking back to the rapid Amelia.
"Oh of course not!" she replied. "I know what happened and it wasn't your fault!"
Lina blinked again. "Oh?"
Syl nodded. "Amelia was possessed! It wasn't her fault! Why, I bet she's feeling really sorry for herself over this disaster - which is why I'm here."
Lina paused, thinking these words through.
This was unusual. Syl was attacked and yet she acts in such a calm manner towards it? More so when she goes after the person that attacks her?! An act like that would certainly require a lot of courage - something which Syl didn't really have a lot of.
But knowing what she's been through since they first met, Syl was certainly come along way. A long way from a shy priestess to a young woman whose seen many wonders.
It's fair to say that Sylphiel has certainly grown up.....
"Wait a minute." Sylphiel asked. "Where's Amelia? And where's Gourry and Zelgadis?"
"I don't know" Lina began....
Before being cut off by a enormous explosion.
Elsewhere, in the forest that surrounded Dakeyras, Xelloss' face hardened. He could feel it - a disruption in the mazoku plane. Such a disruption could mean only one thing: Damenamecus had returned to earth. Returned to earth to destroy in it's path.
Xelloss mentally cursed. Dammit! Damenamecus has returned and where he was - unable to prevent it from happening! How could he not see it? How could he be so blind? How could he be so incompetent?! If Damenamecus has truly returned then could only mean one thing: His mission has ended in failure.
He shuddered thinking how he would suffer Zelas' wrath....
"So" said a familiar voice. "Where are these bandits you were telling me about?"
Xel turned to face Naga. The raven-haired sorceress stared at him with an expression of inquisition and annoyance. She was promised huge amounts of treasure if she agreed to help the Trickster - but since then she hasn't seen a single coin! This was completely unacceptable!
"That's a secret!" Xelloss grinned, waggling his finger.
Naga gasped in exasperation - before opening her mouth to unleash a barrage of cursing.
But Xelloss ignored her. He had much more important details to worry about- paramount among them was how to deal with a recently raised greater mazoku.....
Then it hit him! If Damenamecus is up and about then that must mean the ritual of the cult must have succeeded! And if he's lucky enough he might catch the ringleaders of the cult! And if he does he might just escape Zelas wrath.....
And as for Damenamecus, he might as well leave Lina to deal with that. Hey, nothing has any hope of standing in her way!
And with that, Xelloss got to his feet and started heading towards the village.
"Hey!" Naga yelled. "Where do you think you're going?!"
"We're going to go after some people!" Xelloss replied, still with his back to Naga and still moving onward. "Some people I've been ordered to kill!"
Naga blinked. What was with this guy? He was certainly full of surprises that's for sure. But was he one to be trusted? How did he know Lina? Why did he want to form a partnership? Did he even want to help her show Lina up? And did he have any intention of keeping this promise?
And why on earth did he answer every one of her questions with: 'That's a secret!'?
"People?!" Naga shouted, heading off after the Trickster. "What people?!"
"That's secret!"
And with that, Xel broke into a run, an amused grin across his face. Naga growled with fury before taking up pursuit.
"That's what you've been telling me all along!!!!!!!"
Chapter 14
Contents